Sunshade that is expanded and folded quickly

ABSTRACT

A sunshade includes an outer tube, an inner tube, a control tube, an upper seat, a plurality of ribs, a canopy, and a plurality of spreaders. Thus, the control tube is movable downward relative to the outer tube to expand the canopy and movable upward relative to the outer tube to fold the canopy, so that the canopy is expanded and folded easily and quickly by operation of the control tube, thereby facilitating the user expanding and folding the canopy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sunshade and, more particularly, to a sunshade that is expanded and folded quickly.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional sunshade 10 in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 8 comprises a shank 11, a spring-biased tab 16 mounted on the shank 11, an upper seat 12 mounted on the upper end of the shank 11, a lower seat 14 movably mounted on the shank 11 and limited by the tab 16, a plurality of ribs 13 each having a first end pivotally mounted on the upper seat 12, a canopy 17 mounted on and supported by the ribs 13, and a plurality of spreaders 15 each having a first end pivotally mounted on the lower seat 14 and a second end pivotally mounted on a second end of the respective rib 13. Thus, the lower seat 14 is movable upward to lift the spreaders 15 and the ribs 13 so as to expand the canopy 17 and downward to lower the spreaders 15 and the ribs 13 so as to fold the canopy 17. However, when the lower seat 14 is movable downward to lower the spreaders 15 and the ribs 13 to fold the canopy 17, the canopy 17 easily hits a table or chair placed under the sunshade, so that the user has to take the table or chair away from the sunshade for folding the sunshade, thereby causing inconvenience to the user.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a sunshade, comprising an outer tube, an inner tube movably mounted in the outer tube, and a control tube movably mounted on the outer tube and connected to the inner tube to drive the inner tube to move relative to the outer tube.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshade that is expanded and folded quickly.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein the control tube is movable downward relative to the outer tube to expand the canopy and movable upward relative to the outer tube to fold the canopy, so that the canopy is expanded and folded easily and quickly by operation of the control tube.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein the user only needs to move the control tube downward and upward to expand and fold the canopy easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating the user expanding and folding the canopy.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein the slideway of the inner tube is encompassed by the outer tube completely, and the slideway of the outer tube is encompassed by the control tube completely, so that a combination of the outer tube and the control tube has a smooth surface without exposing the slideway of the inner tube and the slideway of the outer tube, to prevent the slideway of the inner tube and the slideway of the outer tube from hurting the user's fingers or being jammed by a foreign object.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sunshade in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the sunshade as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan cross-sectional view of the sunshade as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a locally enlarged view of the sunshade as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a locally enlarged view of the sunshade as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a schematic operational view of the sunshade as shown in FIG. 1 in use.

FIG. 7 is a schematic operational view of the sunshade as shown in FIG. 3 in use.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a conventional sunshade in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a sunshade in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an outer tube 30, an inner tube 20 movably mounted in the outer tube 30, a control tube 40 movably mounted on the outer tube 30 and connected to the inner tube 20 to drive the inner tube 20 to move relative to the outer tube 30, an upper seat 21 mounted on the inner tube 20 to move therewith, a plurality of ribs 23 each having a first end pivotally mounted on the upper seat 21, a canopy 22 mounted on and supported by the ribs 23, a lower seat 31 mounted on the outer tube 30, and a plurality of spreaders 34 each having a first end pivotally mounted on the lower seat 31 and a second end pivotally mounted on a second end of the respective rib 23.

The inner tube 20 has a mediate portion formed with a slideway 24 and has a lower end formed with a through hole 25.

The upper seat 21 is mounted on an upper end of the inner tube 20.

The outer tube 30 has an upper end formed with a through bore 33, a mediate portion formed with a slideway 35 and a lower end formed with a fixing hole 36.

The lower seat 31 is mounted on the upper end of the outer tube 30 and has a peripheral wall formed with a through bore 32.

A guide pin 60 is extended through the through bore 32 of the lower seat 31, the through bore 33 of the outer tube 30 and the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 to connect the lower seat 31, the outer tube 30 and the inner tube 20. Thus, the guide pin 60 is movable in the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 when the inner tube 20 is movable relative to the outer tube 30.

The control tube 40 has a mediate portion formed with a through hole 41 and has a lower end formed with a fixing hole 42.

A fixing pin 61 is extended through the through hole 41 of the control tube 40, the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30 and the through hole 25 of the inner tube 20 to connect the control tube 40, the outer tube 30 and the inner tube 20. Thus, when the control tube 40 is movable relative to the outer tube 30, the fixing pin 61 is driven by the control tube 40 and movable in the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30, and the inner tube 20 is driven by the fixing pin 61 and movable relative to the outer tube 30.

The sunshade further comprises a connecting tube 50 mounted on the outer tube 30 and having an upper end formed with a reduced mounting portion 51 inserted into the lower end of the outer tube 30, and an elastic member 55 mounted in the connecting tube 50 and provided with at least one locking stub 52 extended through the connecting tube 50 and the fixing hole 36 of the outer tube 30 and detachably locked in the fixing hole 42 of the control tube 40. The connecting tube 50 has an annular shoulder 54 located at a connection between the upper end of the connecting tube 50 and the mounting portion 51 and rested on the lower end of the outer tube 30.

Thus, the control tube 40 and the inner tube 20 are movable relative to the outer tube 30 between a first position as shown in FIG. 3 where the locking stub 52 of the elastic member 55 is detached from the fixing hole 42 of the control tube 40 to release the control tube 40, and a second position as shown in FIG. 7 where the locking stub 52 of the elastic member 55 is locked in the fixing hole 42 of the control tube 40 to lock the control tube 40.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 1-7, when the control tube 40 is movable downward relative to the outer tube 30, the fixing pin 61 is driven by the control tube 40 and movable downward in the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30, and the inner tube 20 is driven by the fixing pin 61 and movable downward relative to the outer tube 30, so that the upper seat 21 is movable downward with the inner tube 20 to move the ribs 23 downward relative to the spreaders 34 so as to expand the canopy 22 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. At this time, the guide pin 60 is movable in the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 when the inner tube 20 is movable downward relative to the outer tube 30 so that the inner tube 20 is movable downward smoothly.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the fixing pin 61 is movable downward to a lowermost portion 350 of the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30, the fixing hole 42 of the control tube 40 is aligned with the locking stub 52 of the elastic member 55 so that the locking stub 52 of the elastic member 55 is inserted into and locked in the fixing hole 42 of the control tube 40 to lock the control tube 40.

On the contrary, after the locking stub 52 of the elastic member 55 is pressed inwardly and detached from the fixing hole 42 of the control tube 40, the control tube 40 is unlocked from the locking stub 52 of the elastic member 55, so that the control tube 40 is movable relative to the outer tube 30.

Thus, when the control tube 40 is movable upward relative to the outer tube 30, the fixing pin 61 is driven by the control tube 40 and movable upward in the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30, and the inner tube 20 is driven by the fixing pin 61 and movable upward relative to the outer tube 30, so that the upper seat 21 is movable upward with the inner tube 20 to move the ribs 23 upward relative to the spreaders 34 so as to fold the canopy 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. At this time, the guide pin 60 is movable in the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 when the inner tube 20 is movable upward relative to the outer tube 30 so that the inner tube 20 is movable upward smoothly.

Accordingly, the control tube 40 is movable downward relative to the outer tube 30 to expand the canopy 22 and movable upward relative to the outer tube 30 to fold the canopy 22, so that the canopy 22 is expanded and folded easily and quickly by operation of the control tube 40. In addition, the user only needs to move the control tube 40 downward and upward to expand and fold the canopy 22 easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating the user expanding and folding the canopy 22. Further, the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 is encompassed by the outer tube 30 completely, and the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30 is encompassed by the control tube 40 completely, so that a combination of the outer tube 30 and the control tube 40 has a smooth surface without exposing the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 and the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30, to prevent the slideway 24 of the inner tube 20 and the slideway 35 of the outer tube 30 from hurting the user's fingers or being jammed by a foreign object.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A sunshade, comprising: an outer tube; an inner tube movably mounted in the outer tube; a control tube movably mounted on the outer tube and connected to the inner tube to drive the inner tube to move relative to the outer tube.
 2. The sunshade in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an upper seat mounted on the inner tube to move therewith, a plurality of ribs each having a first end pivotally mounted on the upper seat, a canopy mounted on and supported by the ribs, a lower seat mounted on the outer tube, and a plurality of spreaders each having a first end pivotally mounted on the lower seat and a second end pivotally mounted on a second end of the respective rib.
 3. The sunshade in accordance with claim 2, wherein the lower seat has a peripheral wall formed with a through bore, the outer tube has an upper end formed with a through bore, the inner tube has a mediate portion formed with a slideway, and the sunshade further comprises a guide pin extended through the through bore of the lower seat, the through bore of the outer tube and the slideway of the inner tube to connect the lower seat, the outer tube and the inner tube.
 4. The sunshade in accordance with claim 3, wherein the guide pin is movable in the slideway of the inner tube when the inner tube is movable relative to the outer tube.
 5. The sunshade in accordance with claim 2, wherein the control tube has a mediate portion formed with a through hole, the outer tube has a mediate portion formed with a slideway, the inner tube has a lower end formed with a through hole, and the sunshade further comprises a fixing pin extended through the through hole of the control tube, the slideway of the outer tube and the through hole of the inner tube to connect the control tube, the outer tube and the inner tube.
 6. The sunshade in accordance with claim 5, wherein when the control tube is movable relative to the outer tube, the fixing pin is driven by the control tube and movable in the slideway of the outer tube, and the inner tube is driven by the fixing pin and movable relative to the outer tube.
 7. The sunshade in accordance with claim 5, wherein the outer tube has a lower end formed with a fixing hole, the control tube has a lower end formed with a fixing hole, and the sunshade further comprises a connecting tube mounted on the outer tube and having an upper end formed with a reduced mounting portion inserted into the lower end of the outer tube, and an elastic member mounted in the connecting tube and provided with at least one locking stub extended through the connecting tube and the fixing hole of the outer tube and detachably locked in the fixing hole of the control tube.
 8. The sunshade in accordance with claim 7, wherein the connecting tube has an annular shoulder located at a connection between the upper end of the connecting tube and the mounting portion and rested on the lower end of the outer tube.
 9. The sunshade in accordance with claim 7, wherein the control tube and the inner tube are movable relative to the outer tube between a first position where the locking stub of the elastic member is detached from the fixing hole of the control tube to release the control tube, and a second position where the locking stub of the elastic member is locked in the fixing hole of the control tube to lock the control tube.
 10. The sunshade in accordance with claim 7, wherein when the fixing pin is movable downward to a lowermost portion of the slideway of the outer tube, the fixing hole of the control tube is aligned with the locking stub of the elastic member so that the locking stub of the elastic member is inserted into and locked in the fixing hole of the control tube to lock the control tube.
 11. The sunshade in accordance with claim 7, wherein the control tube is unlocked from the locking stub of the elastic member after the locking stub of the elastic member is pressed inwardly and detached from the fixing hole of the control tube, so that the control tube is movable relative to the outer tube.
 12. The sunshade in accordance with claim 3, wherein the slideway of the inner tube is encompassed by the outer tube completely.
 13. The sunshade in accordance with claim 5, wherein the slideway of the outer tube is encompassed by the control tube completely.
 14. The sunshade in accordance with claim 13, wherein a combination of the outer tube and the control tube has a smooth surface without exposing the slideway of the outer tube.
 15. The sunshade in accordance with claim 2, wherein the upper seat is mounted on an upper end of the inner tube.
 16. The sunshade in accordance with claim 3, wherein the lower seat is mounted on the upper end of the outer tube.
 17. The sunshade in accordance with claim 6, wherein the control tube is movable downward relative to the outer tube to expand the canopy and movable upward relative to the outer tube to fold the canopy 